Bob Woolmer
| birth_place = Kanpur, United Province, Dominion of India | death_date = | nationality = British | death_place = Kingston, Jamaica | heightft = 6 | heightinch = 0 | batting = Right-handed | bowling = Right-arm medium | role = All-rounder, Coach | international = true | testdebutdate = 31 July | testdebutyear = 1975 | testdebutagainst = Australia | testcap = 463 | lasttestdate = 2 July | lasttestyear = 1981 | lasttestagainst = Australia | odidebutdate = 24 August | odidebutyear = 1972 | odidebutagainst = Australia | odicap = 16 | lastodidate = 28 August | lastodiyear = 1976 | lastodiagainst = West Indies | club1 = Kent | year1 = 1968–1984 | club2 = Western Province | year2 = 1981–1982 | club3 = Natal | year3 = 1973–1976 | deliveries = balls | columns = 4 | column1 = Tests | matches1 = 19 | runs1 = 1059 | bat avg1 = 33.09 | 100s/50s1 = 3/2 | top score1 = 149 | deliveries1 = 546 | wickets1 = 4 | bowl avg1 = 74.75 | fivefor1 = 0 | tenfor1 = 0 | best bowling1 = 1/8 | catches/stumpings1 = 10/– | column2 = ODI | matches2 = 6 | runs2 = 21 | bat avg2 = 5.25 | 100s/50s2 = 0/0 | top score2 = 9 | deliveries2 = 321 | wickets2 = 9 | bowl avg2 = 28.88 | fivefor2 = 0 | tenfor2 = n/a | best bowling2 = 3/33 | catches/stumpings2 = 3/– | column3 = FC | matches3 = 350 | runs3 = 15772 | bat avg3 = 33.55 | 100s/50s3 = 34/71 | top score3 = 203 | deliveries3 = 25823 | wickets3 = 420 | bowl avg3 = 25.87 | fivefor3 = 12 | tenfor3 = 1 | best bowling3 = 7/47 | catches/stumpings3 = 239/1 | column4 = LA | matches4 = 290 | runs4 = 4078 | bat avg4 = 20.39 | 100s/50s4 = 1/17 | top score4 = 112* | deliveries4 = 13473 | wickets4 = 374 | bowl avg4 = 20.64 | fivefor4 = 3 | tenfor4 = n/a | best bowling4 = 6/9 | catches/stumpings4 = 98/– | date = 22 August | year = 2007 | source = http://www.espncricinfo.com/england/content/player/22520.html Cricinfo }} Robert Andrew Woolmer (14 May 1948 – 18 March 2007) was an international cricketer, professional cricket coach and also a professional commentator. He played in 19 Test matches and 6 One Day Internationals for England and later coached South Africa, Warwickshire and Pakistan. On 18 March 2007, Woolmer died suddenly in Jamaica, just a few hours after the Pakistan team's unexpected elimination at the hands of Ireland in the 2007 Cricket World Cup. Shortly afterwards, Jamaican police announced that they were opening a murder investigation into Woolmer's death. In November 2007, a jury in Jamaica recorded an open verdict on Woolmer's death, after deciding that there was insufficient evidence of either a criminal act or natural causes. Death On 18 March 2007 – the day after Pakistan was knocked out of the 2007 World Cup, and three days before their final game of the tournament – Woolmer was found dead in his hotel room at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in Kingston, Jamaica. The initial report was that Woolmer had died of a heart attack. On 22 March, Jamaican police confirmed that a murder investigation had been launched because of the circumstances of Woolmer's death, based on a report by pathologist Ere Seshaiah that Woolmer had died of asphyxia via manual strangulation. Deputy Police Commissioner Mark Shields led the investigation. On 12 June 2007, Lucius Thomas, the commissioner of the Jamaica Constabulary Force, announced that the investigation had concluded that Bob Woolmer died of natural causes, and was not murdered as indicated by the earlier pathologist's report. Three independent pathologists' reports commissioned by the police had found that the initial conclusion of manual strangulation was incorrect, and toxicology tests found no evidence of poisoning. The findings of the pathologists, and of Metropolitan Police detectives who had visited Jamaica to assist with the investigation, were reported in the weeks leading up to the announcement, which was widely expected by the time it was made. Reports suggested that Woolmer suffered from health problems including an enlarged heart and diabetes, which may have contributed to his death. On 6 November, coroner Patrick Murphy asked for further tests to be carried out on samples taken from Woolmer's body following discrepancies in the toxicology reports by forensic scientists from the Caribbean and the UK. After hearing twenty-six days of evidence, the jury at the inquest returned an open verdict, refusing to rule out the controversial strangulation theory put forward by Ere Seshaiah. In an interview with Fox News, former South African cricketer Clive Rice claimed that Woolmer was murdered by organised crime groups, saying “These mafia betting syndicates do not stop at anything and they do not care who gets in their way.” Former Australian captain Ian Chappell has also gone on record stating that he "doubts that he died of natural causes" and speculated that Woolmer may have been about to reveal "some misgivings". External links *[https://web.archive.org/web/20080714072127/http://www.bobwoolmerbook.com/ Website on the Art and Science of Cricket, Bob Woolmer's coaching manual released in 2008] *Cricinfo page on Bob Woolmer *CricInfo: Full coverage of Bob Woolmer's passing *Obituary, The Daily Telegraph, 19 March 2007 *Obituary, The Times, 19 March 2007 *Obituary, The Guardian, 20 March 2007 *Obituary, The Independent, 20 March 2007 *Woolmer century vs Australia on Veoh Category:1948 births Category:2007 deaths Category:English cricket coaches Category:England One Day International cricketers Category:England Test cricketers Category:English cricketers Category:Cricketers